Gratitude
by Taintless
Summary: Life isn’t rough with mates like you and Ron, Hermione."


Harry dragged her away from the others and into the clearing. He would have to fight Voldemort but not yet, not now. She was looking at him with surprise. She hadn't expected her legs to give away so suddenly.

"Harry," she said. "What's happening to me? I-I can't feel my legs!"

"It's okay, Hermione. Just relax."

Harry had just seen Lucius Malfoy cast a Posinous curse on her. He knew, from his Defence Against the Arts class, that this meant Hermione was about to die.

"What did Malfoy cast on me?" Her eyes were wide and frightened. His expression was terribly gentle. Hermione had never seen him look at her like that. It worried her; what was wrong with her?

"I feel weird," she tried to explain to him. "My body feels… like its not there! It's all… light."

"Hermione…" Harry couldn't keep the truth from her. "He cast the Posinous Curse on you."

She stared at him as it slowly registered with her. "I'm… going to die?"

He looked away from her and nodded.

She looked out from the clearing in which he had dragged her. She could hear noises from it and the occasionally flash. A bush blocked her proper view. She felt isolated from it though. Moonlight was flooding down on her and Harry, illuminating them both. The sky above them was dark, with the occasional star decorating it. The earth beneath her was soft and the tree behind her made her feel safe, for some unknown reason.

Harry was before her, his ebony coloured hair tousled like always. She lifted her weak hand to it and ruffled it – something she had never dared to do before. Through all their years as best friends, they had never really been physical. She had hugged him a couple of times after very challenging moments and had given him one or two pecks on the cheek but they didn't do anything like that on a regular basis.

She had never ruffled his hair before. Now though, she didn't hesitate. It felt quite rough under her fingers.

He took her hand from his hair and captured it in his own. It was a very intimate thing for Harry to do.

"I don't want to die, Harry," she said.

"I don't want you to die either."

"Harry, you should be out there, fighting," she said, coming to her senses. "Leave me here, I'll be all right."

"_No_," he said, rather fiercely.

Hermione was glad he wanted to stay with her. She suddenly realised how much she didn't want to be left alone.

"Harry," she said. "Thanks so much for being my friend. I know I can be bossy at times and a bit of a McGonagall but you kept being my friend. Thanks so much."

"Oh Hermione…"

"No, I'm serious. I-I never had any friends like you in the Muggle World. You and Ron have been my only proper friends and I really… I really appreciate that."

"Hermione… I never had any real friends in the Muggle World either. I've never met anyone like you. You're so smart. So determined and honest and strong."

"Thanks," she said weakly.

A tear dripped down Hermione's face. Harry wanted to wipe it away but he couldn't. He felt like he was frozen. He looked down at his best friend and he didn't want her to die. He felt cold to the core.

"You've had such a rough life," Hermione was saying in a somewhat vague voice. "With the Dursleys and Sirius and now Voldemort…"

"Life isn't rough with mates like you and Ron, Hermione."

"I'm glad, Harry. I'm glad we've made you happy. You've made me happy too. Tell Ron… Tell Ron… I don't know. Tell him I said something nice." She was frowning slightly. "No, tell him I said thanks."

He knew that her body was slowly being poisoned. He knew she didn't have long left.

"How do you feel?" he asked her.

"Sleepy," she replied. "I'm not afraid anymore. You're here, and I know you are going to beat Voldemort. You will, won't you, Harry? You'll do it for me?"

"Of course," he said, closing his eyes in pain as she coughed quite painfully.

"This place is beautiful," she said. "I always thought the Forbidden Forest was rather ugly but…"

"I know," he said, understanding.

"Thanks for being here, Harry. I know you have better things to do…"

"Don't be silly, Hermione," he said quietly.

"Tell Mom and Dad that I was happy, okay? They often thought they shouldn't have sent me away but tell them – tell them I couldn't have been happier. Even here. Even now. I'm so happy. Make sure to tell them that I wasn't in pain, at all."

She sighed and closed her eyes. Harry was glad she didn't see the tears rolling down his face. He wiped at them hastily. He didn't want to upset her.

"Harry," she said. "I think I'm just going to rest here for a bit. I'm rather tired…" She breathed loudly and slowly for a few seconds as if falling asleep and then her chest stopped moving all together.

"Hermione?" His voice raised. "Hermione?"

Outside the sounds of the war were coming back to him. He had to go but he couldn't. He stared down at his best friend's face, willing her to come back to life although he knew she never would.

"Harry?!" Ron's voice, frantic. He'd probably been looking for them for a long time now. "Hermione?! Where are you guys?"

Harry stood up, his eyes set on Hermione. He cast her one last long glance and then moved back into the chaos, leaving their clearing behind.

"Harry!" His other best friend ran up to him. "Where in bloody hell have you been? Where's Hermione?!"

"She's dead, Ron," Harry said in a hushed tone. "She died just now."

He watched as Ron's face dropped, devastation slowly appearing.

"No…"

Harry nodded.

"Why, Harry, why?" Ron asked him. "Why, Hermione?"

"I dunno, Ron." Harry's eyes set on Voldemort, his wand raised. "I just dunno…"

''''''''

Just a one-shot. I'm pretty bored. Hope you liked it! If you would like to review, please do. I love reviews – they make boring days like this seem worthwhile.


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